Product Manager, RNA NGS (open to Sr. Manager)

Watchmaker Genomics•Boulder, CO

2d•Remote

About The Position

Watchmaker Genomics is seeking a Product Manager, RNA NGS to support the growth of its RNA NGS portfolio. The role drives portfolio growth through new product development, expansion of application scope, and proactive lifecycle management of the RNA Library Prep portfolio. The position reports to the Associate Director of NGS Product Management. The title may be Senior Product Manager for candidates with additional experience. The ideal candidate brings technical expertise in molecular biology, RNA sequencing, and advanced genomics applications, along with commercial acumen and strategic thinking. The person will lead cross-functional initiatives and contribute to the continued growth of Watchmaker’s RNA portfolio. The position is full-time, based in Boulder, Colorado (preferred), or remote, and requires approximately 20% domestic and international travel.

Requirements

MSc in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Genomics, or a related scientific field.
At least 6 years of relevant industry experience, including substantial hands-on experience with RNA sequencing or related transcriptomics workflows.
Demonstrated technical expertise in NGS workflows, including library preparation, sequencing, and data interpretation, and experience with core molecular biology techniques.
Experience participating in or leading cross-functional new product development projects.
Experience documenting customer and product requirements and applying risk-informed decision-making within a quality management system.
Ability to influence and gain consensus in cross-functional teams and work effectively with customers, development, and sales teams.
Experience presenting technical information to groups with varied scientific backgrounds.
Track record of defining and launching products.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Results-oriented, able to multitask, maintain high standards under pressure and deadlines, and work without supervision.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and personal task-management skills, with self-motivation and initiative.
Ability to creatively solve complex problems and develop practical solutions within existing operational infrastructure, processes, and quality standards.
Creative and critical thinking skills to anticipate customer needs and proactively solve problems.
Willingness to travel approximately 20% domestically and internationally.

Nice To Haves

PhD in a relevant scientific field.
Product Management experience.
Relevant experience in R&D, Applications, or another customer-facing technical role may also be considered.
Additional experience in product strategy, portfolio ownership, commercialization, and cross-functional leadership for consideration at the Senior Product Manager level.

Responsibilities

Serve as the organizational expert and champion for the RNA NGS portfolio, with flexibility to support and represent adjacent portfolios.
Develop and execute RNA portfolio product and application strategies, including market opportunity assessments, customer segmentation, competitive analysis, business cases, roadmap prioritization, and lifecycle investment decisions.
Translate market and customer needs into prioritized product requirements, working with R&D to assess technical feasibility and balance customer value, development effort, commercial potential, and strategic fit.
Partner with Sales to engage key customers, understand application requirements, and develop collaborations that support innovative product solutions, market expansion, and broader product adoption.
Translate customer, market, competitive, and technical insights into differentiated value propositions in partnership with Product Marketing, including positioning, messaging, commercialization, and sales enablement.
Manage product management activities for commercialization and lifecycle management, including market assessments, global pricing strategies, product documentation, sales training, and demand planning.
Lead cross-functional work with R&D, Applications, Support, Sales, Quality, and Operations to implement product requirements and advance new product development through commercial launch.
Identify and prioritize opportunities to expand the RNA portfolio into new applications, sample types, and workflows, including automated and high-throughput RNA sequencing.
Own lifecycle performance for assigned products by monitoring revenue, adoption, customer feedback, competitive dynamics, quality trends, and product performance; identify growth opportunities and address risks.
Create and maintain competitive assessments, market intelligence, and product performance analyses to guide strategic decisions and portfolio investments.
Lead portfolio communications and stakeholder alignment, including business reviews and leadership updates; surface risks, opportunities, tradeoffs, and needed decisions, and drive cross-functional accountability and resolution.